The Police Regional Office 6 is deploying 450 more police officers to various police stations in Negros Occidental and Panay, to further strengthen the peace and order campaign during the yuletide season and the election period next year.

Chief Supt. Agrimero Cruz, regional police director of Western Visayas, yesterday said the new police officers will augment visibility patrols, checkpoints and law enforcement operations.

The 450 police officers recently completed the two-year mandatory field duty at the 6 th Regional Public Safety Battalion in Negros Occidental.

Supt. Iver Apellido, 6 th RPSB director, said the neophyte officers will be assigned to their home provinces, but it cannot be determined yet if how many will be assigned to the Negros Occidental Police Provincial Office and Bacolod City Police Office.

With the imminent downloading of 450 police officers to police stations and maneuver units, the 6 th RPSB, in return, is getting 480 policemen and women, who recently completed the 45-day Special Counter-Insurgency Unit Training in Victorias City.

“ We will maximize the deployment of our personnel for anti-criminality and insurgency campaign,” Cruz said.

Members of the Barangay Peacekeeping Action Teams, tanods and volunteer groups are also up for mobilization by the police for intelligence monitoring, crime prevention and control, traffic direction and rescue operations, in line with the preparations for the All Saints and All Souls Day celebrations on Nov. 1 and 2.

Cruz said the influx of commuters is expected to increase during the holidays, so there is a need to tighten up security to deter crimes and respond to emergencies.

He added that the sustained anti-criminality campaigns will keep the peace and order situation in Region 6 as a manageable level, especially during the “ber” months (September, October, November and December).

Police records show that the crime rate in Western Visayas is at its lowest in September, with only 524 incidents, against the average 665 incidents from January to August this year.

However, the month of March registered the highest crime volume with 725 incidents.

Cruz attributed the decrease in crime incidence to their aggressive campaign against all forms of illegal activities and proactive police operations.*GPB

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